Yoder: ‘This is a Big Deal’
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowLessonly co-founder Max Yoder says he anticipates a “ripple effect” from his company’s acquisition by California-based Seismic that will be felt for years to come and include more jobs and investment in Indiana. Seismic, a sales enablement and marketing platform, says its purchase of the Indianapolis-based cloud learning management company will create an enterprise valued at $3 billion, with 1,300 employees and 13 offices around the globe. “They’re going to be making investment in Indianapolis,” said Yoder. “We were already going to be hiring a lot of people, but we’re going to hire a lot more now.”
Yoder talked about the acquisition and the impact on the Indiana tech community on this weekend’s edition of Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.
Since its founding in 2012, Lessonly has been a rising star in the Indiana tech sector. The company says it has more than 1,200 customers and has serviced more than 4 million learners with its online training software.
In April of last year, Lessonly closed on a $15 million Series C round of funding.
As it announced the Lessonly acquisition, Seismic also said it had raised an additional $170 million from investors, bringing to $440 million the total amount it has raised over the past decade as it prepares for a potential Initial Public Offering.
Yoder says an IPO would have real implications for Indy.
“They’re going to take us with them, right…we’re one team now and that’s going to be a neat thing to bring to this city, because they’re going to be making heavy investment in Indianapolis.”
Yoder also believes the deal will spawn more home-grown Hoosier tech companies.
“Our teammates have shares in Lessonly, so this is changing people’s lives,” said Yoder. “This is going to plant some seeds that are going to grow…and I’m really excited to see how much this is going to change our community.”